1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method and a controller for controlling the operation of a laser processing machine for performing laser processing of a work, such as cutting, punching and the like, and the operation of other plate material processing machines such as a punch press and the like.
More particularly, the present invention firstly relates to a state display method and a state display unit of the plate material processing machine for displaying on a display screen of the display unit an operating state of the plate material processing machine such as a position state of a positioning pin used in positioning of the work in a predetermined position, and an operating state of a work clamping device for gripping the work and the like.
The present invention secondly relates to a position setting method and a position setting device of a movable member in the plate material processing machine in which a position setting operation by a manual input for moving the movable member such as a work table, a laser processing head and the like to an arbitrary position can be easily realized on the display screen of the display unit, e.g., when the position of a processing reference point is set to an arbitrary position on the work and the like.
The present invention thirdly relates to an operating state setting method and an operating state setting device of the laser processing machine in which plural keys respectively having allocated functions different from each other are displayed together or selectively on the display screen of the display unit, and a setting operation for changing an operating state of the laser processing machine can be easily realized on the display screen of the display unit by selectively allowing the input of a corresponding key among these plural keys every operating stage.
The present invention fourthly relates to a processing condition display method and a processing i condition display unit of the laser processing machine in which a setting operation of various kinds of processing conditions can be smoothly performed even by an operator having little experience by displaying processing condition data such as the various kinds of processing conditions and an image of a set object portion and the like on the display screen of the display unit when the various kinds of processing conditions such as a kind and a pressure of an assist gas are set prior to laser processing such that the various kinds of processing conditions are adapted to a combination of a material of the work as a processed object and a plate thickness.
The present invention fifthly relates to an operating state setting method and an operating state setting device of the laser processing machine which has an expert mode requiring a detailed operating procedure for an expert and a beginner mode requiring a simple operating procedure for a beginner and can be constructed by selectively switching these two modes in accordance with a learning degree of the operator so that a setting operation for changing the operating state of the laser processing machine can be easily realized by both the expert and the beginner.
2. Prior Art
For example, in a conventional known laser processing machine, a work table arranging a work thereon is moved forward and backward and a laser processing head is moved leftward and rightward so that a desirable processing treatment such as cutting, punching and the like is taken with respect to the work. Further, in a conventional known punch press, for example, a work clamping device gripping the work is moved in two directions composed of forward-backward and rightward-leftward directions and a desirable processing position on the work is positioned between a punch and a die so that a desirable processing treatment of punching, molding and the like is taken with respect to the work.
In these plate material processing machines, a positioning pin used in positioning of the work in a predetermined position and the work clamping device for gripping the work and the like are arranged.
The above positioning pin is lowered by manually operating a manual lever by an operator at a sending-in time of the work such that an upper portion of the pin is located downward from an upper face of the work table. When the work is completely sent in, the positioning pin is raised such that the upper portion of the pin is projected from the upper face of the work table. Thus, at the sending-in time of the work, the work is smoothly sent in without colliding the work with the positioning pin. When the work is completely sent in, the work hits against the positioning pin so that the work can be positioned in a predetermined position.
The above work clamping device is constructed by a clamping base attached to the work table and a clamping presser vertically movable with respect to this clamping base. This work clamping device is raised by a switching operation of the operator to a position in which the clamping presser is separated from the clamping base at the sending-in time of the work. When the work is completely sent in and is positioned in the predetermined position, the work clamping device is operated such that the clamping presser is lowered to a position approaching the clamping base and grips the work. Thus, when the work is sent in, the work is smoothly sent in without colliding the work with the clamping presser. When the work is completely sent in and is located in the predetermined position, the work can be gripped with a predetermined clamping force.
The following technique is generally used to recognize the position state of the above positioning pin and the operating state of the work clamping device by the operator of the plate material processing machine. Namely, the position state of the positioning pin is recognized by directly visualizing by the operator whether the upper portion of the pin is projected from the upper face of the work table or not. In contrast to this, with respect to the operating state of the work clamping device, a detecting means for detecting existence or nonexistence of an operation of the operator is arranged in a switch for designating a vertical movement of the clamping presser in the work clamping device. The operating state of the work clamping device is displayed by turning a lamp on and off on the basis of a detecting signal from this detecting means. The operating state of the work clamping device is recognized by visualizing by the operator that this lamp is turned on and off, or directly visualizing the operating state of the work clamping device by the operator.
However, in the above conventional plate material processing machine, the following various kinds of problems exist when the operator of the plate material processing machine recognizes the operating state of the plate material processing machine such as the position state of the positioning pin and the operating state of the work clamping device and the like.
Namely, in the technique for recognizing the operating state of the plate material processing machine by the direct visualization of the operator, there is a case in which the operator must take a posture for moving this operating state to a position easily visualized or a posture for looking-in this operating state. In this case, a physical burden of the operator tends to be increased.
Further, in the technique for recognizing the operating state of the plate material processing machine by visualizing the turning on and off of the lamp by the operator, the operator must memorize information for associating a turning-on state and a turning-off state of the lamp with the operating state of the plate material processing machine. Otherwise, the operator must recognize this associated information together with the turning-on state and the turning-off state of the lamp and judge the operating state of the plate material processing machine by collating this associated information with turning on and off information of the lamp obtained by the visualization. Accordingly, a complicated procedure is required to recognize the operating state of the plate material processing machine. Therefore, this operating state cannot be intuitively recognized so that the operator must bear an additional burden. In consideration of such a real situation, the development of a novel technique capable of easily recognizing the operating state of the plate material processing machine by the operator by displaying this operating state in a form intuitively easy even for a beginner to understand has been desired for a long time between the persons concerned.
Further, with respect to the above plate material processing machine, for example, there is a requirement in which a movable member such as the work table, the laser processing head and the like is moved to an arbitrary position when the position of a processing reference point is set to an arbitrary position on the work and the like.
To satisfy this requirement, the conventional plate material processing machine has various kinds of keys capable of performing a position setting operation by a manual input on an operation panel of an NC controller (an NC device) of this plate material processing machine. These various kinds of keys will next be explained by using a laser processing machine as an example of the plate material processing machine. The various kinds of keys are constructed by a "manual" mode selecting key, an "MDi" mode selecting key and a moving key such as "+X", "+Y", "+Z", "-X", "-Y", "-Z" and the like. The "manual" mode selecting key selects a mode for moving the movable member to an arbitrary position by a manual operation. The "MDi" mode selecting key selects a mode for inputting NC data by manually inputting and operating various kinds of keys such as a ten key, an alphabet key and the like arranged on the operation panel and moving the movable member along a predetermined path in accordance with the inputted NC data. The moving key is used when the "manual" mode selecting key is selected and inputted and the like. This moving key designates operations for setting a moving direction and a moving distance of the movable member.
In the position setting operation performed when the operator selects and inputs the above "manual" mode selecting key, the movable member as a moving object is first selected and the operator pushes down the movable key such as "+X" and the like corresponding to a moving direction of the movable member. Thus, an X-axis drive motor is rotated for only a continuous pushing-down time so that the movable member can be moved by a distance corresponding to this rotating time.
In contrast to this, in the position setting operation performed when the operator operates and inputs the "MDi" mode selecting key, a moving program capable of moving the movable member as a moving object until a position to be moved is made and is manually inputted and executed. Thus, each axis drive motor for moving a corresponding shaft is rotated so that the movable member can be moved until the position to be moved.
However, in the above position setting method of the movable member in the conventional plate material processing machine, a setting operation for moving the movable member until the position to be moved is complicated and it is difficult to smoothly perform this setting operation except for a skilled operator so that plural problems to be solved exist.
These problems will next be described. First, when the movable member is moved from the present position to a certain position in a technique for directly moving the movable member by a manual operating input of the "manual" mode selecting key and the like, these positions are not located on a certain one axis such as an X-axis, a Y-axis and the like in many cases. Therefore, it is necessary to move the movable member from the present position to a certain position while moving keys for controlling movements in mutual different axial directions are alternately operated such that a locus of the movable member is formed in a stepwise shape. However, this operation is very complicated. Further, in this operation, a moving state of the movable member must be visualized by turning the operator's eyes upon the movable member while the operator operates a predetermined moving key. Accordingly, a considerable skill is required to smoothly perform this operation.
In contrast to this, in a technique for manually operating and inputting the "MDi" mode selecting key and the like and moving the movable member in accordance with the made moving program, it is necessary to obtain the relation of both the present and certain positions in a coordinate form in a certain relative coordinate system so as to make the moving program capable of moving the movable member from the present position to the certain position. Therefore, it is necessary to make an additional work of measuring a size along each axis in the above relative coordinate system between both the positions by using a scale and the like so that this measuring work is very complicated. Further, when the above moving program is made, a corresponding program language must be learned and skilled so that a considerable skill is required to make a correct moving program for a short time.
In consideration of such a real situation, the development of a novel technique capable of easily moving the movable member until an arbitrary position even by an operator having little experience by using an operating form intuitively easy even for a beginner to understand as a setting operation for moving the movable member in the plate material processing machine until the arbitrary position has been desired for a long time between the persons concerned.
Further, the above laser processing machine generally has the NC controller. The NC controller performs a setting operation for changing the operating state of the laser processing machine to an arbitrary state. The NC controller also gives commands for changing the operating state of the laser processing machine to the set state. The NC controller further monitors the operating state of the laser processing machine and fulfills duties for informing the operator of this operating state by turning a lamp on and off and the like. Plural keys respectively having allocated functions different from each other are arranged on the operation panel of this NC controller. A setting operation for changing the operating state of the laser processing machine to an arbitrary state is performed by selectively operating and inputting these plural keys by the operator.
For example, the above plural keys include a ten key having an allocated function for inputting Arabic numerals, an alphabet key having an allocated function for inputting an alphabet, and an "automatic" mode selecting key having an allocated function for executing an NC processing program describing a processing procedure with respect to a certain product. The above plural keys also include a "manual" mode selecting key having an allocated function for moving the movable member such as the work table and the laser processing head and the like to an arbitrary position by a manual input operation. The above plural keys also include an "editing" mode selecting key having an allocated function for editing an NC processing program. The above plural keys also include an "MDi" mode selecting key having an allocated function for inputting NC data by a manual input operation of the ten key and the alphabet key and the like and moving the movable member along a predetermined path in accordance with the inputted NC data. The above plural keys also include an "origin return" mode selecting key having an allocated function for moving the movable member to an original position. The above plural keys also include a moving key such as "+X", "+Y", "+Z", "-X", "-Y", "-Z" and the like. This moving key is used when the "origin return" mode selecting key or the "manual" mode selecting key is selectively inputted and the like. The moving key has an allocated function for designating operations for setting a moving direction and a moving distance of the movable member. The above plural keys also include a "start" key used when the "automatic" or "MDi" mode selecting key is selectively inputted and the like. The "start" key has an allocated function for designating an operation for executing a predetermined operation in the selected mode. The above plural keys further include a "stop" key used when the "automatic" or "manual" mode selecting key is selectively inputted and the like. The "stop" key has an allocated function for designating operational stoppage in the selected mode.
Here, when the operator selectively inputs the above "automatic" mode selecting key, the NC processing program describing the processing procedure about a certain product is executed by subsequently selecting and inputting the "start" key. Thus, the movable member can be moved in the procedure according to this NC processing program.
When the operator then selectively inputs the above "manual" mode selecting key, the moving key such as "+X" corresponding to a moving direction of the movable member is subsequently pushed down so that an Xaxis drive motor is rotated for only a continuous pushing-down time. Thus, the movable member can be moved by a distance corresponding to this rotating time.
However, in the above method for setting the operating state of the conventional laser processing machine, when an arbitrary key is selectively inputted by an operator having little experience from the plural keys at an initial stage providing a first key input, there is a fear that this key input is considered to be invalidated so that an error is displayed. Otherwise, when an arbitrary key is selectively inputted by the above operator at a secondary stage after the key input at the above initial stage, there is also a fear that this key input is similarly considered to be invalidated so that an error is displayed. Accordingly, it is difficult to smoothly perform this setting operation unless the operator is skilled.
This problem will next be described. In general, the plural keys arranged on the operation panel of the NC controller are mainly divided in attribute into a headline key such as the "automatic" or "manual" mode selecting key for allowing an input at the initial stage, and a secondary key such as the moving key constructed by the "start" key or the "+X" key and the like and allowing an input at the secondary stage. This means that, when the secondary key is selectively inputted at the initial stage or the headline key is selectively inputted at the secondary stage, these key inputs are considered to be invalidated. This invalidation causes the above-mentioned situation. To avoid generation of this situation, it is necessary for an operator to learn and master all kinds of keys allowing the operating input every operating stage and execute the key input in an exact procedure corresponding to desirable set contents. Accordingly, a considerable skill is required to smoothly perform an operation for setting the moving state of the laser processing machine.
In consideration of such a real situation, the development of a novel technique capable of easily setting the operating state of the laser processing machine even by an operator having little experience has been desired for a long time between the persons concerned.
Further, in the above laser processing machine, it is necessary to set various kinds of processing conditional values such as a kind and a pressure of an assist gas, the focal length of a condenser lens arranged within the laser processing head, the aperture of a laser irradiating nozzle, an aperture of the condenser lens and the like to appropriate values adapted to a combination of a material of the work and a plate thickness in advance before a laser processing treatment is executed. This is because the above various kinds of processing conditions as optimum for the work material and the plate thickness are respectively different from each other.
Therefore, the operator of the laser processing machine conventionally sees a processing condition table described in an instruction manual before the laser processing treatment is executed. Otherwise, this operator selects a conditional value considered as an optimum value on the basis of a past experience and makes a setting work with this selected value as a set value in a set object portion of the various kinds of processing conditions.
However, it is complicated to see the processing condition table described in the instruction manual every time the setting work of a processing condition of the above conventional laser processing machine is made. Therefore, an incorrect set value is carelessly set, or the laser processing treatment is executed without updating the set value to an original value in a certain case. As a result, there is a fear that no original processing performance of the laser processing machine can be fulfilled.
In the setting work of the processing condition of the laser processing machine, only a skilled operator can select a value considered as optimum on the basis of a past experience. An operator having little experience sets various kinds of processing conditions by repeating trial and error in the actual situation while this operator reads a corresponding portion of the instruction manual and searches a set object portion. Therefore, it is difficult to smoothly perform this setting operation unless the operator is skilled. Accordingly, the development of a novel technique capable of smoothly performing the setting operation of the various kinds of processing conditions of the laser processing machine even by an operator having little experience and fulfilling an original processing performance of the laser processing machine as a result has been desired for a long time between the persons concerned.
The above laser processing machine generally has an NC controller for executing a setting operation for changing the operating state of the laser processing machine to a desirable state. The NC controller gives commands for changing the operating state of the laser processing machine to the set state. The NC controller further monitors this operating state and fulfills duties for informing this operating state of an operator by turning a lamp on and off and the like. Plural keys respectively having allocated functions different from each other are arranged on an operation panel of this NC controller. The operator selectively operates sequentially and inputs a key corresponding to the above desirable state among these plural keys so that a setting operation for changing the operating state of the laser processing machine to the desirable state is performed.
For example, the above plural keys include a ten key having an allocated function for inputting Arabic numerals, an alphabet key having an allocated function for inputting an alphabet, and an "automatic" mode selecting key having an allocated function for executing an NC processing program describing a processing procedure with respect to a certain product. The above plural keys also include a "manual" mode selecting key having an allocated function for moving the movable member such as the work table and the laser processing head and the like to a desirable position by a manual input operation. The above plural keys also include an "editing" mode selecting key having an allocated function for editing an NC processing program. The above plural keys also include an "MDi" mode selecting key having an allocated function for inputting NC data by a manual input operation of the ten key and the alphabet key and the like and moving the movable member along a predetermined path in accordance with the inputted NC data. The above plural keys also include an "origin return" mode selecting key having an allocated function for returning the movable member to an original position. The above plural keys also include a moving key such as "+X", "+Y", "+Z", "-X", "-Y", "-Z" and the like. This moving key is used when the "origin return" mode selecting key or the "manual" mode selecting key is selectively inputted and the like. The moving key has an allocated function for designating operations for setting a moving direction and a moving distance of the movable member. The above plural keys also include a "start" key used when the "automatic" or "MDi" mode selecting key is selectively inputted and the like. The "start" key has an allocated function for designating an operation for executing a predetermined operation in the selected mode. The above plural keys further include a "stop" key used when the "automatic" or "manual" mode selecting key is selectively inputted and the like. The "stop" key has an allocated function for designating operational stoppage in the selected mode.
A key input operating procedure of the operator will next be explained by using the conventional NC controller having the above various kinds of keys when the movable member is moved to a desirable position by a manual operation. First, when the "stop" key is inputted and operated, a movement of the movable member is completely stopped. Further, when the "manual" mode selecting key is inputted and operated, an operating mode of the NC controller is switched to a manual mode for moving the movable member to the desirable position by a manual input key operation. When the movable key such as "+X" and the like corresponding to a moving direction of the movable member is pushed down, an X-axis drive motor is rotated for only a continuous pushing-down time so that the movable member is moved by a distance corresponding to this rotating time.
However, in the above setting method of the operating state of the conventional laser processing machine, a complicated work of sequentially operating and inputting a corresponding key among the plural keys in accordance with a procedure determined in advance is generally required to satisfy various requirements such as the movement of the movable member by a manual operation. When an incorrect key is selected and inputted by an operator having little experience at a certain key input operating stage at this working time, there is a fear that this key input is considered to be invalidated and an error is displayed and the like. Accordingly, it is difficult to smoothly perform this setting operation unless the operator is skilled.
In contrast to this, the skilled operator can execute a key input in an exact procedure corresponding to desirable set contents if the operating procedure is a conventional procedure. However, when a novel operating procedure is introduced to solve the above problem, the skilled operator has resistance against abandonment of the operating procedure skillfully used familiarly so far and memorization of a new operating procedure. Accordingly, it takes time to get used to this novel operating procedure so that working efficiency in a period for learning and mastering this novel operating procedure is reduced. In consideration of such a real situation, the development of a novel technique capable of easily setting the operating state of the laser processing machine by both the skilled operator and the operator having little experience has been desired for a long time between the persons concerned.